Did your local kiddo receive a mysterious book delivery in the mail this week? It’s part of a a new state literacy program aimed at preventing so called “COVID slide” in kids grades kindergarten through third grade.
Moore County was one of over 50 school districts participating in the K-3 School Year Book Delivery Program, which will deliver books and literacy resources directly to the homes of students and teachers, at no cost to families or participating school districts. Book packs consist of ten high-quality, grade appropriate books with guided activities and tips for parents to engage with students as they read. Book packs and resources are expected to begin being delivered to students’ and teachers’ homes by the end of 2020 and began arriving at Moore County homes this week. Additionally, K-3 families will gain access to engagement tips via text.
“The School Year Book Delivery program is an incredible opportunity for our state to make important early literacy gains,” said Commissioner Penny Schwinn. “This partnership could not have come at a more important time, as many students, families and teachers are working hard to make up for classroom time lost last spring. Building literacy skills early is foundational to lifelong educational success and the department is grateful to GELF and Scholastic for their work to expand access to high-quality books and literacy resources and help students and families read together at home.”
The new book delivery program comes on the heels of a successful summer reading pilot where GELF and Scholastic distributed 2,100 book packs to students. The response from children, parents and caregivers was overwhelmingly positive, sharing feedback about the excitement of receiving new books in the mail, the joy of sharing stories together and the magic of escaping through a good book.
The program will also offer parent, teacher resource through Best for All Central, Tennessee’s Hub for Learning and Teaching. You can visit it by clicking here. •
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